LIVERPOOL Labour leader Joe Anderson has become the city's first ever elected mayor, clinching a decisive victory with 57% of the vote (58,448).

Joe Anderson celebrates after becoming the first elected Liverpool Mayor

JOE ANDERSON is today Liverpool’s first elected mayor after enjoying a decisive victory with 57% of votes in the historic poll.

He was declared the winner at 4.10am at the Liverpool Tennis Centre in Wavertree, polling 58,450 votes amid jubilant scenes from Labour supporters.

Mr Anderson will govern Liverpool for the next four years and is now the most powerful politician in England outside London.

In total 101,301 voted in the mayor’s election, a turnout of just 31.2%. Independent Liam Fogarty grabbed second with 8,292 votes, while Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp came in third with 6,238.

Mayor Anderson said: “I promise that our message to you is that we will deliver on our pledges and promises. The people of this city need new housing, new jobs and new schools. That is what will be delivered by an administration with a Labour mayor.”

Changing the city’s electoral system has represented the biggest gamble in the political career of Mr Anderson, who has been council leader for the past two years.

Ditching the role of council leader and having a mayor instead was linked to the government’s city deal, which will see an additional £130m handed to Liverpool.

Mayor Anderson ran a campaign built around the deal that had three key promises: to deliver 5,000 new homes, 20,000 new jobs and 12 new schools during his four-year term.

The salary for the new mayor will be set by an independent panel and will be voted on by Liverpool council later in the month.

Mayor Anderson was forced to deliver his victory speech over loud heckling and chants from a handful of far right activists.

But he declared: “The future of this city is a bright one. It is not represented by fascists, they are people that do not represent this city. We will democratically defeat these fascists at the ballot box every time. That’s why they shout loudly now because people in this city have told them loud and clear to get stuffed.”

His victory triggers a summer by-election in his Riverside ward seat, which he has to vacate on becoming mayor.

Mr Fogarty said he was humbled to score second place out of the dozen candidates.

He said: “It’s been an exciting, satisfying and humbling experience. When you are up against some very well established parties with the organisation, resources and boots on the ground it’s always going to be a scrappy outsiders campaign.

“I am really pleased for the people who have taken part in it for me, that have made it happen, the people that have put out the leaflets and used social media for my campaign. I have emerged with a new respect for people who do this for a living.”

Lib Dem Cllr Kemp said:” I always made clear this was going to be a tough election for us, especially with national circumstances.

“My job was to maximise the Liberal Democrat vote, and I think I have done that.”

He said he was hopeful the party would have done enough to hang on to the council seat of Lib Dem leader Paula Keaveney. Local election results will be counted later today.

Green candidate John Coyne came fourth with 5,175, and just saved his £500 deposit by polling at least 5%.

Mr Mulhearn said: “Joe Anderson’s policies now reflect the interest of traditional Tory and Lib Dem voters. There has been a small proportion looking at my vote as the radical alternative, which at this stage some people will not see as a viable alternative.”

Mr Caldeira said: “I am sure the city will all work together to continue the progress we have made over the past few years.”

Steve Radford said: “We have had a phenomenal majority in both counts in Tuebrook. Without doubt we areclearly becoming the second party in the city.”

Paul Rimmer for the English Democrats got 1,400, independent Jeff Berman polled 1,362, BNP candidate Mike Whitby recorded 1,015, and Peter Quiggins for the National Front was rock bottom with just 566 votes, or 0.5%.

There were 2,794 spoiled ballot papers.The far right BNP and National Front finished in the bottom two.

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Alastair Machray was appointed editor of The Liverpool Echo in 2005 and is also editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. He is a former editor of The Daily Post (Wales and England) and editor-in-chief of the company's Welsh operations. Married dad-of-two and keen golfer Alastair is one of the longest-serving newspaper editors in the country. His titles have won numerous awards and spearheaded numerous successful campaigns.